Side by side
Cloud-Radar vs TaskCat
Both stand on infrastructure testing tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan
Cloud-Radar provides local template checks as well as functional testing through Taskcat and boto3. Its Pre-Alpha classification, limited transform support, and placeholder Ref and GetAtt values are important considerations.
Visit Cloud-Radar
Free plan APILinux
TaskCat focuses on regional CloudFormation deployment tests with pass/fail reporting and detailed outputs. Its free license, APIs, and CI/CD integrations suit automated infrastructure validation, provided you can supply the required AWS access.
Visit TaskCatThe facts
| Cloud-Radar | TaskCat | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Not published | API, Linux |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Not published |
| Plans published | None | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | aws-ia.github.io |
| On infrastructure testing tools | #22 of 28 | #26 of 28 |
Cloud-Radar: what it does well
- Unit tests run locally without AWS credentials
- Checks conditions, resource creation, properties, and names
- Functional tests can use boto3 on deployed resources
- Apache License 2.0
- Python 3.8 or newer
What to know first
- Package is classified as Pre-Alpha
- Ref and GetAtt default to placeholder strings
- Transform support covers a subset of CloudFormation
- Functional testing needs optional extra dependencies
TaskCat: what it does well
- Tests templates across all or selected AWS Regions
- Validates stacks and verifies deployed resources
- Generates outputs, details, and deployment timelines
- Offers CLI and Python API access
- Free, open source, Apache-2.0 licensed
What to know first
- Requires AWS credentials and permissions
- Testing guide lists broad AWS permissions
- Supports AWS CloudFormation only
Alternatives to Cloud-Radar Alternatives to TaskCat The whole list